The student composer uses music vocabulary to describe the devices and musical ideas that he or she employed to create unity, and cites the measure by number in which the device or musical idea occurs. The response might include reference to a rhythmic ostinato, a rhythm pattern, a tonal pattern, or even a chord or sonority that recurs such as a leitmotif. To answer these questions, the composer explains what musical elements were used to create unity, and how those elements were utilized in the work to create unity. We simply ask, how did you create unity in your piece? What musical ideas hold your piece together? With this in mind, we begin with questions that probe the student composer’s awareness and knowledge of how he or she commanded unity. Achieving the proper balance is essential for every composer, and is the hallmark of great musical works. Too much variety creates confusion, and too much unity creates boredom. Variety interrupts unity, and provides interest and the excitement of something new. Unity produces in the listener a familiarity and comfort that comes from returning to something recognized. The most basic aspect of musical form is the balance of unity and variety. Today I will discuss questions about musical form and about a composer’s opinion of his or her own work. In my previous two posts, I discussed reflective questions for student composers that dealt with the musical work, and with the performance of the musical work.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |